EASY SUMMER SIDES – NO COOKING REQUIRED

Today my friend Lauren McDonald, FOX21 News Morning Reporter, stopped by the house to help me whip up some easy breezy, no cooking required side dishes perfect for a summer meal. Everything tasted fabulous, looked great, and was affordable and easy! And no cooking required!!

WATERMELON KIWI SANGRIA

Prep Time: 10 minutes       Chill Time: 1 hour minimum       Serves: 8 for approximately $14 ($1.75 per drink)

INGREDIENTS:

4 1/2 cups seedless watermelon cut into bite-sized chunks

4 kiwis peeled and sliced into rounds

1 orange, sliced

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 cup vodka

1 bottle dry rose wine

1 Tbsp honey

2 to 3 cups lime seltzer  – depending on strength you want

Garnish – mint sprigs, watermelon slices, lime slices

DIRECTIONS:

Place 4 cups of cut up watermelon and all sliced kiwi into a pitcher (set aside 1/2 cup of the watermelon chunks.) Add orange slices.

Place reserved 1/2 cup watermelon chunks into blender and puree until smooth. Add a tablespoon of water if needed to blend. Strain watermelon juice through a strainer and discard the pulp. 

Pour fresh squeezed watermelon juice into the pitcher on top of watermelon and kiwi. Squeeze juice of 2 small limes on top. Add vodka, dry rose wine, honey and seltzer.

Stir the sangria until thoroughly mixed. Let sit in fridge for at least an hour and up to overnight.

Once chilled, pour into glasses. Garnish with mint sprigs, lime slices and mini watermelon slices.

• 1 pound of watermelon equals about 1 1/2 cups cubed watermelon.

 

I saw this recipe in the July 2019 Good Housekeeping magazine and I thought it looked so fresh and delicious…perfect for a summer meal. If you can’t find heirloom tomatoes or they aren’t in your budget, you can substitute another meaty and firm tomato. 

You can use peaches or nectarines for this recipe just make sure your fruit is fully ripe, which will add to the sweetness and juiciness. 

TOMATO, PEACH & BASIL SALAD

Total time: 10 minutes        Serves: 4 for $7 to $5, depending on type of tomato used

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Kosher salt and pepper

1 pound heirloom tomatoes

1 pound yellow peaches or nectarines

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup basil leaves

2 ounces feta cheese, broken into pieces

DIRECTIONS:

In small bowl, combine onion and vinegar with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let sit 5 minutes.

Cut tomatoes and peaches into wedges and arrange on platter.

Stir oil into onion mixture and spoon over fruit, then sprinkle with basil, feta and cracked black pepper.

 

STUFFED TORTILLA CUPS

These stuffed tortilla cups can be made with ready-made ingredients to save time or if you’re on a tight budget, make your own guacamole and salsa. You can literally fill these up with any of your own favorite combinations. Perfect for someone who doesn’t like to cook!!

Nothing fancy but they are fun and easy to pop in your mouth, no fork or spoon needed! 

I decided to make two options; one with black beans, corn and guacamole and another one with refried beans, sour cream, and salsa. 

Just choose 2 or 3 of your favorite fillers, then chop, slice and layer. Add a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lime or lemon juice and a fresh herb if you like. 

• I didn’t cook my canned black beans or refried beans. I used fresh corn kernels from the cob and both my guacamole and salsa were store-bought.

I grew up eating a versions of this cucumber and onion salad but they were typically sweeter, much too sweet in my opinion, with an overwhelming flavor of vinegar. This recipe however is lighter with a cool, crunchy and slightly sweet flavor. A perfect side for spicier or more heated barbecued meats. I’ve become so addicted to this I’ve made it twice in less than a week!

I’m a huge fan of mint which is the garnish for this salad. It really does add a nice component. My husband isn’t such a fan so I add a few leaves to his and more to mine.

This is another fabulous recipe I found in my June/July 2019 bon appetit magazine. 

CUCUMBER & ONION SALAD

Total Time: 15 minutes              Serves: 8 for approximately $3.50

INGREDIENTS:

6 Persian cucumbers (mini) thinly sliced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 tsp. sugar

Fresh ground black pepper

Fresh mint leaves for garnish 

DIRECTIONS:

Toss cucumbers, onion and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Let sit until cucumbers begin to release liquid. Gently press down on cucumbers to force out more liquid, being careful not to break apart. Remove from bowl, shaking off liquid, and place vegetables in a clean bowl. Toss with vinegar and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Top with mint.

 

Here’s a fun treat that’s sweet but not too loaded with sugar.

STRAWBERRY & SNICKERS SKEWERS

Time: 10 minutes plus freezing          Makes: 4 large or 8 small skewers

INGREDIENTS:

16 small strawberries or 8 large halved

6 Fun Size Snickers bars, halved

Chocolate sauce or caramel sauce for dipping

DIRECTIONS:

Alternately thread strawberry and Snickers pieces on 4 wooden skewers (or 8 or 16 toothpicks, depending on what size you want.) Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Serve with chocolate or caramel sauce if desired.

• I made these without freezing too and they were delicious. Just enough sweetness and chocolate.